Palm Coast: Cameras looking at truck loads, not red-light runners

Published: Friday, December 28, 2012 at 5:11 p.m.

Last Modified: Friday, December 28, 2012 at 11:12 p.m.

PALM COAST — Those new cameras on the off-ramps to Interstate 95 in Palm Coast are focusing on overweight trucks – not red-light runners.

The cameras are part of a virtual weigh station the Florida Department of Transportation is installing to watch for overweight trucks, according to Steve Olson, a spokesman for the state DOT. The virtual weigh station is still in the testing phase, Olson wrote in an email.

While the city is continuing to install red-ight cameras, the I-95 equipment won't be watching cars, sport utility vehicles, pickups or other such vehicles. But City Councilman David Ferguson said he received a complaint from a resident concerned the interstate cameras were red-ight cameras.

Ferguson has since informed the man that the interstate cameras will be watching for overloaded trucks only.

One of the virtual weigh stations is on the I-95 southbound off-ramp at Palm Coast Parkway and the other is on the I-95 northbound off ramp at State Road 100.

The cameras are linked to a system which will track the weight of trucks and whether the rigs are trying to avoid the sensors, Olson wrote. The system will start sometime in January and will correspond with training for the Florida Highway Patrol and commercial vehicle enforcement officers.

The fine for trucks that are too heavy is 5 cents per pound over weight, according to Florida statutes, Olson wrote in the email.

The virtual weigh station is a compromise after the state DOT in 2010 proposed building an $11 million brick-and-mortar weigh station on U.S. 1 between State Road 100 and Palm Coast Parkway. Palm Coast and Bunnell officials rallied against the brick-and-mortar scale station, arguing it would pose a danger to residents and clash with the area made up of homes and businesses.

The virtual station costs $632,000.

While only truckers will be the focus of the I-95 ramp cameras, more red-light cameras will soon be casting their electronic eyes at motorists.

The cameras are being installed and paid for by American Traffic Solutions, which provides the red-light cameras for Palm Coast. The company, along with the state and city, get a share of each $158 citation.

The cameras being erected at southbound Belle Terre Parkway and State Road 100 and westbound S.R. 100 and Belle Terre Parkway are not activated yet, according to an email from the city's code enforcement manager, Barbara Grossman.

The city is also awaiting permits from the state DOT for cameras at S.R.100 and the southbound and northbound ramps at I-95; S.R. 100 and Memorial Medical Parkway both east and westbound; and S.R. 100 and Seminole Woods Boulevard both east and westbound, Grossman said.

The city has numerous cameras filming along other parts of the city, many along Belle Terre Parkway and Palm Coast Parkway.

The cameras along S.R. 100 stirred particular controversy. Flagler County Commission Chairwoman Barbara Revels in September asked Palm Coast to reconsider installing the cameras along S.R.100. Revels said the county had fielded concerns from residents who don't live in Palm Coast about the cameras on the highway used by many drivers.

Revels said that up until then, Palm Coast had been placing the red-light cameras in the city's core but now it would be affecting other residents, tourism and shoppers. Revels said people did not want to have to worry about getting slapped with a $158 ticket for accidentally running a red signal or barely being inside the intersection when the light switched to red.

But the Palm Coast City Council refused the county chairwoman's request.

<p>PALM COAST &mdash; Those new cameras on the off-ramps to Interstate 95 in Palm Coast are focusing on overweight trucks – not red-light runners. </p><p>The cameras are part of a virtual weigh station the Florida Department of Transportation is installing to watch for overweight trucks, according to Steve Olson, a spokesman for the state DOT. The virtual weigh station is still in the testing phase, Olson wrote in an email. </p><p>While the city is continuing to install red-ight cameras, the I-95 equipment won't be watching cars, sport utility vehicles, pickups or other such vehicles. But City Councilman David Ferguson said he received a complaint from a resident concerned the interstate cameras were red-ight cameras. </p><p>Ferguson has since informed the man that the interstate cameras will be watching for overloaded trucks only. </p><p>One of the virtual weigh stations is on the I-95 southbound off-ramp at Palm Coast Parkway and the other is on the I-95 northbound off ramp at State Road 100. </p><p>The cameras are linked to a system which will track the weight of trucks and whether the rigs are trying to avoid the sensors, Olson wrote. The system will start sometime in January and will correspond with training for the Florida Highway Patrol and commercial vehicle enforcement officers. </p><p>The fine for trucks that are too heavy is 5 cents per pound over weight, according to Florida statutes, Olson wrote in the email. </p><p>The virtual weigh station is a compromise after the state DOT in 2010 proposed building an $11 million brick-and-mortar weigh station on U.S. 1 between State Road 100 and Palm Coast Parkway. Palm Coast and Bunnell officials rallied against the brick-and-mortar scale station, arguing it would pose a danger to residents and clash with the area made up of homes and businesses. </p><p>The virtual station costs $632,000. </p><p>While only truckers will be the focus of the I-95 ramp cameras, more red-light cameras will soon be casting their electronic eyes at motorists. </p><p>The cameras are being installed and paid for by American Traffic Solutions, which provides the red-light cameras for Palm Coast. The company, along with the state and city, get a share of each $158 citation. </p><p>The cameras being erected at southbound Belle Terre Parkway and State Road 100 and westbound S.R. 100 and Belle Terre Parkway are not activated yet, according to an email from the city's code enforcement manager, Barbara Grossman. </p><p>The city is also awaiting permits from the state DOT for cameras at S.R.100 and the southbound and northbound ramps at I-95; S.R. 100 and Memorial Medical Parkway both east and westbound; and S.R. 100 and Seminole Woods Boulevard both east and westbound, Grossman said. </p><p>The city has numerous cameras filming along other parts of the city, many along Belle Terre Parkway and Palm Coast Parkway.</p><p>The cameras along S.R. 100 stirred particular controversy. Flagler County Commission Chairwoman Barbara Revels in September asked Palm Coast to reconsider installing the cameras along S.R.100. Revels said the county had fielded concerns from residents who don't live in Palm Coast about the cameras on the highway used by many drivers. </p><p>Revels said that up until then, Palm Coast had been placing the red-light cameras in the city's core but now it would be affecting other residents, tourism and shoppers. Revels said people did not want to have to worry about getting slapped with a $158 ticket for accidentally running a red signal or barely being inside the intersection when the light switched to red. </p><p>But the Palm Coast City Council refused the county chairwoman's request.</p>